Lawsuit targets Cuyahoga County Sheriff over two deputy pursuits that killed bystanders Tamya Westmoreland, Sharday Elder

Two fatal pursuits and a widening legal fight

Cuyahoga County Sheriff Harold Pretel is facing a civil lawsuit tied to two separate vehicle pursuits that ended in the deaths of bystanders Tamya Westmoreland and Sharday Denise Elder. The claims center on decisions to initiate and continue chases in city traffic, the supervision of those pursuits, and whether departmental policy and training adequately protected the public.

What happened in the March 2025 pursuit

Westmoreland, 48, was killed after a March 28, 2025 pursuit that ended near the Eddy Road exit off Interstate 90. The incident began when deputies attempted to stop a vehicle and the driver fled, leading to a chase that culminated in a crash involving Westmoreland’s vehicle and the fleeing driver’s car. The suspect also died, and Westmoreland later succumbed to injuries, according to investigators’ public accounts of the incident timeline.

What happened in the August 2025 pursuit

On Aug. 24, 2025, Elder, 37, was killed when a fleeing vehicle struck the car she was driving as sheriff’s deputies pursued a suspect through Cleveland streets. Elder was identified as an uninvolved motorist who was not connected to the flight. Criminal charges were filed against the fleeing driver, who entered a not-guilty plea in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas proceedings.

Key issues raised by the lawsuit

The suit argues that the sheriff’s office bears responsibility for decisions that escalated risk to bystanders during both pursuits. The legal claims are expected to scrutinize the department’s pursuit thresholds, supervision requirements, and whether deputies complied with internal rules governing when to initiate or terminate a chase.

Both pursuits have been publicly linked to the same deputy, placing additional focus on hiring, oversight, and performance management within the unit that was previously known as the Downtown Safety Patrol and later renamed the Community Support Unit.

Policy changes after the deaths

In October 2025, Cuyahoga County announced revisions to its pursuit policy. The updated approach narrowed circumstances in which deputies may engage in chases and elevated the stated priority of public safety over immediate apprehension. County leaders described the revisions as a response to a series of high-profile pursuits that intensified public and council scrutiny.

• Two separate pursuits in 2025 ended with bystanders killed: Westmoreland in March and Elder in August.
• Criminal prosecution has focused on the fleeing drivers; civil litigation is now testing the sheriff’s office’s role in the outcomes.
• Policy revisions adopted in October 2025 tightened pursuit standards and emphasized bystander safety.

The case is poised to examine how pursuit decisions are made in real time, how supervisors authorize tactics, and what safeguards are required when chases move through dense urban corridors.

The lawsuit adds to broader, ongoing debate in Cuyahoga County over the costs and risks of vehicle pursuits, the mission of specialized patrol units, and the balance between crime deterrence and the duty to minimize danger to the public.